Magikal
by Namidaga Ochiru
Summary: She gave herself to him to protect the village she loved. It didn't matter that he was a monster... he was hers, as she was his, and she would always protect him.


**_Hello! It's me, Namidaga Ochiru, again. Thank you for the reviews! Most of them made me happy, but to the Guests who did not, I would like to address your observations. Yes, I am aware that my storyline and summary is similar to Odat's Dragon, but it is not the same. In that story, there is no indication of Magik possessed by a human; only a dragon. This story is not the carbon-copy of Dragon, and I don't appreciate that you would think that I would fall to the level of plagiarism. I admire Odat, and I will admit that I got my inspiration for Magik from Dragon, but I plan to take it in an entirely different direction. I think I'm done raving, but please sign in before making a review so I can respond to you properly without letting the whole world know exactly what you said. Thanks, R&R!_**

Chapter 1- Sacrificial  
*Maka's POV*

"Are we agreed?" Every hand, besides the one belonging to my father, was raised. He gazed at the ground, his bangs shadowing his face, but I knew from his shaking that he was crying. The small group of Village Elders, led by the Head of the Village, bowed before me. I felt tears sting my eyes before I reminded myself that I had been selected to save everything I loved... as a human sacrifice to the monster that had been killing our people, starting with Asura.  
"Maka Albarn, daughter of Spirit and Kami Albarn, you will be our salvation. We will honor your memory, and remember you for generations to come." Two maids that I recognized stepped forward and led me away. I heard a woman approach my father, but the scuffling sound I heard was him pushing her away as he turned and left. I was saddened, but surprised and proud of him for once.  
The maids, two women I had seen on more than one occasion with my father at Chupu-Cabra, bathed me and forced me into a white sacrificial robe. The linen fabric was smooth against my skin, but it was an empty promise. It was meant for those who lived, and it had no place on one fated to die. Collecting my discarded robes, they took everything except for my ribbons and charms, concealed within me, waiting to be called by my Magik.  
Slipping on my honorary sandals, I tied the obi around my waist and straightened up. Pulling my ribbons out of my hair, I let it cascade around my shoulders. Looking down at the strands that fell into my line of vision, I was reminded of my mother, Kami Albarn, by the color I got from her. Would she be told of my sacrifice and ultimate death? Closing my eyes, I let my true self show with a spell of protection on everyone I loved. When I opened them again, I let one tear escape before squaring my shoulders and stepping through the open doorway into the light, where the world I knew was waiting to collapse around me.  
Blinking, I saw that the maids had been replaced with a pair of guards. They wore hardened masks, but I could detect the sadness and reluctance in their faces. "Kid. BlackStar. I see you're here to escort me." Kid's eyes dropped, his yellow irises holding all the regret in the world. I cursed the Village Elders, for they purposely picked out my friends to escort me to my death. BlackStar, usually the boisterous one with little to feel more than contempt towards 'lesser things', stepped forward with his hand out towards me, then hesitated, dropping it to his side, where it clenched into a tight fist. I saw blood drip from his hand where his nails dug deep, and I took a deep breath.  
Stepping towards them, I released my inner Witch. Picking up BlackStar's hand, ignoring his flinch, I wrapped his hand in healing and watched the broken skin mend until nothing remained. Looking up at them, I saw the despair in their eyes. They knew I was a Witch. I hugged BlackStar, who stood still, and then moved to Kid. Touching his cheek, I smiled. "Ne, I want you two to do something for me, please. Kid, watch over Liz and Patty. They will be lost if you do not. BlackStar, don't let Tsubaki go. I want all of you to stay together and grow strong... If I fail to survive this, please protect them and each other. I may be gone in the physical sense, but I will still be watching over you, like an angel. Please don't break my heart by growing callous and cold just because I'm gone."  
I looked up at them to see their resolve and dedication to their duty crumble. I made it a step towards them before I was in both their arms, and they were whispering promises and apologies. Backing up, I gave them another smile. "Don't worry so much about me. I'm a Witch... we're notoriously hard to kill. I'll be fine. And I have a wandering Grigori soul... If I fail, the worst that can happen is I die. I will come back again, and live to know you again. In my next life, I will still be me, and still be a Witch." Giving my last smile, I spun on my heel and made for the dirt road leading into the mountains. Feeling their hesitation, I called back, "Tell the Elders that I am not the kind to run from fate. Once I make a promise, I will keep it until I meet my end." Giving one last look, my eyes softened and I said, "I love you." Turning back to the road, I walked into the mists that surrounded our village, disappearing from view.  
Finally slowing to a stop, I allowed myself to cry, as I had desperately wanted to do. I was walking into the unknown, to give my life to a beast that had no understanding of the meaning of my sacrifice. Wiping away the tears still streaming down my pale cheeks, I hardened my green eyes and called my Magik. Reaching into my Source, I withdrew my charm necklace and placed it around my neck. The talismans I had both collected and inherited flashed and were covered with a thin green layer of my Magik. I frowned upon realizing that my level was not what it should have been. Reaching within myself again, to my Source of Power, I extracted the ribbons that usually tied my hair in battle. They were black, covered in a red layer of angry Magik. Energy stabbed at my fingers as its hostile wavelength battled with my soul for control. Acting before the attempted Override could capture my soul with deadly, angry Magik, I tied them around my charm necklace. The amber aura that I expected surrounded them, along with the other pieces.  
Looking up, I noticed that the path I'd been following had been replaced with deep rents in the earth and the obvious signs of dragging. The hunter was now becoming the hunted; I followed the trail until I reached a pool of dark red liquid. Holding a hand over the puddle of blood, I felt the power in the dragon. No Magik to speak of, besides the force keeping him alive, but strength and skill to rival my family's. Smiling grimly to myself, I dabbed my finger into the surface of the substance, pulling it away to let a drop collect on the tip of my finger.  
I swore to my mother that I would never use the darker arts of my family's line, but Witches break promises to survive. Licking the blood from my finger, I focused on the taste of my quarry. I could feel his presence, sense his proximity, and be drawn by his life energy. I would always be connected to him until either I died... or he was killed. Opening my empty green eyes, I followed the trail.  
The torn earth led me to a mountain trail, where the path was even more obvious through the snow that dusted the ground. Gigantic reptilian footprints with... webbing?... between the toes marred the pristine cover of ice, and I followed without hesitation. I could feel that I was getting closer and closer to him; I was almost on him- Stopping dead at the sight in front of me, I felt my eyes sting and let the tears spill over.  
Bound in front of me was the 'beast' I had come to find. White as the snow that was now stained red, his powerful body was held by chains of darkness, and his angry red eyes stared at the object of his wrath. A girl, with lavender hair and a white-collared black dress, hugged her arms around herself and mumbled almost neurotically. "I don't know how to deal with this... Is it really okay to eat him? He looks scary... Crona can't become a Demon God, no, I'm not as powerful..." Suddenly, the girl cocked her head, as if listening to something, and a wide, insane grin split her face. "I can eat him? I didn't know I was allowed to!" As she spoke, she rippled and screamed, and a monster emerged from her back.  
White eyes, a white cross over its face, white powerful fists, and a black body, the thing was twice the size of the girl. It immediately started bullying her, until she said, "No, stop it, that hurts... Ragnarok." She held out her hand, and the thing reshaped into a sword. Black and sharp, it had a mouth on one side. Opening its mouth, the sword began to scream.  
Holding my head against the agonizing pain the shrill sound caused, I saw 'Crona' start running at the dragon. I was overcome with anger, resignation, and... fear? With a jolt, I suspected that they were the dragon's emotions. I was feeling our bond... but I was flooded with a desire that I could not process. A desire to stop his death at the hands of the girl.  
Before I could stop myself, I had run in front of his attacker, lifting my now-glowing hands and hearing the clash of her blade against mine. Holding her, I made myself push her backwards. She mumbled out, "If you stay in my way, I'll have to eat you, too..." She looked so lost and unsure that I couldn't help but feel sorry for her, just a little bit. But then I looked behind me, at the dragon I was selected to find and kill, and felt my resolve harden. I opened my mouth to speak, but the words that emerged were not my own.  
"I will die for him. He is mine to protect, and I am his. You cannot kill him; his life belongs to me." Somehow knowing that what was spoken was from my heart and through the forbidden bond, I squared my shoulders and got into a defensive position. I could feel his incredulousness, shock, blatant disbelief, and some scorn through the bond. My focus shifted back to Crona as she stared at me, opening her mouth to talk again.  
"I don't know how to deal with girls... What am I supposed to do?" A chilling voice reached my ears as I caught wind of the reply. Leave them be for now. You are free to inflict some damage when you leave, but I would like to see the depth of their bond. Crona, you will become a Kishin; don't be afraid to kill and harm. It's what you're good at, after all. Seeing the tiny black static snake of Magik beside Crona's shoulder, I concluded that this was some kind of trick. And I was right.  
The snake cut into Crona's shoulder, and blood started to flow. But... it suddenly seemed to freeze in spikes, ceasing its natural movement from the wound and instead filling the air with small dots. "And another thing... my blood is black..." Crona murmured, her voice eerie. "Bloody needles." All I knew was that I was surrounded by floating black dots of Crona's blood; shifting into razor-sharp needles, they pierced me, and all I was aware of before falling to the ground was a shattering sound, and warm hands as they picked me up gently. "Come with me... I will keep you safe, my Yakusokushimashita. Always."


End file.
